Booted Eagle saved Project support for 2012 Spring ... - LIPU-UK

Better protectionAnd yet, there have been positive signs. For a longtime Italy has ignored important provisions of theBirds Directive. Following prosecution and a finefor non-compliance, law 157/92 was enacted which,among other things, outlaws hunting during the prebreedingmigration period. Following a campaignby LIPU, environmentalists and animal protectionorganisations, 11 regions have fallen into line, mainlyin the South. Led by Puglia, they have changedthe opening of hunting for woodcock, thrush andwaterfowl from the traditional third Sunday ofSeptember to the first of October, and broughtforward the closing date by 10-20 days. This is animportant change, given the importance of Januaryto their breeding habits, and the natural difficulties ofsuch a cold month. This suggests a sensible next step:that hunting be closed on 31 December.Worst offendersNot all regions have been as compliant. Seven:Lombardy, Liguria, Friuli Venezia-Giulia, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Sardinia and Lazio, have ignoredthe new law completely, and the worst cases, Lazioand Sardinia, have refused to comply even withthe orders of Regional Administrative Tribunal andthe Council of State. The illegitimate actions ofLazio and Sardinia, with their irreversible damageto wildlife, have pushed us into action. Followingrepeated warnings, we are resorting to the PublicProsecutors and the Audit Court. We are not going totolerate destruction of nature and neglect of the ruleof law any longer.Ali Spring 12Page 6